Car-coupling mechanism



sein. 11, 192s. 1,683,901

Y w. KELso CAR COUPLING MECHANI-SM Filed Oct. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1928.

W. KELSO GAR COUP-LING MECHANISM Filed oct. 1:5, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

l UNITED STATES PATE Nrff',.oFFicEf' WILLIAM KnLso, oP PITTSBURGH, P nivNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoIt To' THE'MCCONWAY a` `ToaLEY COMPANY, yon.PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OP'PENN- sYLvANIA;

Application filed October y13,A 1825. Serial No. 62,263.

The invention relates to foary coupling mechanism employed for 'the purpose of connectingran automaticr Coupler of the vertiele cated yin which the clearances between the` parts are amply sufficient to prevent breakage or injury of the mechanism during buffing operations.

A primary feature of the invention, gener-v ally stated7 consists in employing, a forward.

ly curved loop member Vfor connectinga dra'whook to a coupler of the typel employing al rotatable knuckle, the loop member being pivotally mounted on the' coupler .headand -being connected toa link device adapted to cooperate with a drawhook and the coupler head having a bollard forengaging the loop member to prevent forward rotation 'of the latter under the influence of draft forces applied to the mechanism. f

vA further feature of the invention consists in pivoting a loop member'upon the guard arm side of-the couplerheadl and in providing` the coupler head on its knuckle side with a bollard for cooperating` with the loop member to-prevent for-wardrotation of the'latter. i

A still further feat-ure of the invention.

consists in'undercutting ltlierear face of the bollard which cooperates .with the'pivoted loop member, whereby accidental upward movement of the loop'membe'r is prevented when the mechanism is in service.

Other features of the invention relating yto advantageous forms and relationsof parts.

will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings Figure l is a plan view'of a tion gear 'and drawhook, the parts being n-ected andin pulling relation..

coupler, transicon- Figure 2 is a side velevational view of thef The free endA 13 of the-loop member is prefmechanism, the .parts being in pulling posipartly in front elevation, showing' the rela tion of the transition geaijto tl1e;c0upler.}` s

`and

Figure 4 is a detailedsectional view on the line 4--/l, Figure l. Y

In the prefered embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, l is an auto-I matiecoupler whOsestem-is' attached tothe car by suitabledraft rigging appliances (not shown) in any usual or' desired manner. Ro-

tatably mounted upon the head 2 of the coupler by knuckle'pin 3 in the usual manner is a knuckle 4 having a tail 5. A suitable lock G inovably mounted on the coupler head normally Vprevents outward or uncoupling rO- tation of tlieknuckle bycooperating with the- 'tail 5 of the latter.

, .Pivotally mounted upon they coupler y head 2 is a loop member provide'd with a downwardly extending post Sfoiming "a pivot for said loop membeiz-l3`or receivin'gthe pivot post 8 the "coupler head is provided with a suitablecylindrical recess or opening 9 and to prevent-forward rotation of the'.

loop member 7 when the latter -is subjected to pulling forces in service 'said head is fashi'oned with an upwardly extending bollard l0 adapted to engage' the loopmember ati a point some distance from the pivot post8.

the coupler head andto position the`bolla.rd`

on tlieknuckle side of the coupler head imf inediatcly adjacent the knuckle pin 3,- the bollai'd being somewhat in advance vof the pivotal axis of thev loop member.

The loop member 7 is preferably made' of round bar stock. Between vits pivotal-axis pointof engagement A with the bollard 10 i t is curved so as to be spaced forwardly from the buii'ing face ll of the coupler l1ead,fthe center of curvature of said curved portion be'- ing in spaced relation to the longitudinal axis of vthe coupler when the parts arein normal opera-ting relation. By thisk means the draft forcesapplied yto the loop member 7 serve to swing the coupler to one side so as to move the outer end of the knuckle 4 away from the linkdevice by which the loop member is connected to the drawh'ook 120i an adj acent car.

erably conveXly curved rearwardly'so` asto hook around the bollard'lO to some extent. The cooperating face of the bollardis similarly curved and is undercut as indicatedat it overlaps a portion of the loop member 7 the latte'i` is prevented from accidentally moving upward when the mechanism is in service.

The lpivot post 8 of the'loop member is preferably vertical and may advantageously extendvv entirely through the coupler head 2. Itslength is such as to permit'the vertical movemen'tsnecessary to enable the loop meniber to be moved to and from operative position. A cotter 15 passing` through the lower end of the pivot postu8, may be conveniently employed for retaining the loop member 7 inassembled relation to 'the coupler head. -Y

Adjacent the opening 9 for receiving rthe pivot postof the' loop member the coupler head is formed with a depression or notch 1G into. whichy the loep member descends when it is swung around to the guard arm side. ofthe coupler. -By this means the loop 7; and transition coupling devices carried thereby are prevented from accidentally swinging forwardwhen not in use.

'i The loop member 7 is movably attached toa. .plurality of. connected link members, 17 and 18 respectively, the former being adapted to cooperate with a draft hook 12 and the latter preferably being formed as alii. eye-bar connected at its forward end to the link 17 and attached at its rear end to the loopmember.v The openings 19 inthe Iban mayadvantageously be, flared so as to provide forample flexibility of the connections betweenl the parts without undue increasev in the sizeof saidv openings.

When the transition coupling devices are in use the knuckle 4 is prevented from accidentally rotating inwardly to a position in whichV it would interfere with the link mein bers ofthe transition device. An advantageous means which is employed for this purposel may consist of a coil spring 20 which encircles the lower end of the knuckle pin 3, onerend' of said spring extending into a perforated lug 21 at the lower end of the pulling lugs ofthe knuckle 4- and therother' end similarly cooperating with a perforated ,lug 22 on the underside of the coupler head.

Any-` suitable means inay be employed lfor actuating the coupler lock. The means illustlrated in the drawings are those preferably used for actuating thelock when r'the latter` is provided withv a downwardly eX- tending portion or lifter, and' consist of the Well-known; bell crank lever 28 which is at tached by a pivot'Qllfoperfoiated lugs 25 formed on the underside of the couplerhead. One of the arms26 of the lever 23 enters the eye ori-opening 27 in the lower end of ,the lock lifter 6, while the other arm of the coupler;

used the loop member 7 is rotated'rearwardly sufliciently far to withdraw its free ,Y end from beneath vthe overhanging upper `end o`f the bollard 10,v afterfwhieh it,` may positionthe intermediate I-bar 18 the' I downwardlyat the side of thevr link y17 hang I claim:V Y f K l1. Car coupling mechanismcomprising a coupler head, a knuckle` rotatably.mounted on said head, and fa Vlock for-said knuckle,-

in combination with means adapted to con;-A

nect said coupler when the knuckle sof the f5".

latter is inaopen positionl to a couplingdevice f of a different type, said means including a member pivotally mounted on said' head' in spaced: relation to the longitudinal airis` of the latter so to rot-ate on asubstantially vertical axis, and means movably connected to said pivoted member for connecting the latter to thej said coupling device` of different type, said coupler head being providedwith means for limiting forwardrotation of said pivoted member.` e

2; Car coupling mechanism comprisinga coupler involving a couplerhead, aknuxckle rotatably mounted on said head,l and a-vlock for said knuckle, in combination with means,

adaptedto connect said coupler to adrawhook, said means including a member pivotally mounted upon thefc'oupler headuat/one side of the latter and having a forwardly eX- tending loop portion adapted to swing in Ia substantially horizontal plane, and a liiikdevice inovably 'connected to V said ,loopI and adapted-to cooperate with av drawhook, said coupler head heingprovided withk a bollard for engaging said pivotedvmember to' preventv forward rotation of the latter when the- .iio

mechanism is subjected to draft "strainsi 3. Car coupling' mechanism adapted: to connect a drawhook orfthe like to a car coupler involving a .coupler head, a knuckle rotatably -niounted'on saidrvhead. andja lock for said knuckle, said mechanism including a member pivotally mounted on the guardarm side of the coupler. head and having i la bar portion extending from the pivotal point of saidY memberfoward the knuckle side of said head, and a linkdevice niovably connected to lsaidbar portion and adapted toV Y cooperate with a drawhook, said Vcoupler f head having means mounted thereon and projecting upwardly therefrom for prevent.

ing forward rotation-ofsaid bar portion when the' .mechanismLA is subjected to4 draft4 strains. y

- LC/ar couplingmechaiiism comprising a coupler involving a coupler'xhead, aknuckle rotatably mounted onl said head, and a locky for said knuckle, in combination withmeans adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said 'means including a member formed with a pivot post, and having a forvwardly vcurved loop portion, said head havv ing a pivot opening for receiving said post and also being provided with a bollard vfor cooperating with said loop portion to resist draft strains imparted to the lattei, and a link device movably connected to said loop portion and adapted toncooperatingly engage a drawhook.

5. Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler head, a knuckle rotatablyvmounted on said head, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination with means adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said means including a member pivotally mounted on said head in spaced relation to the longitudinal axis of the latter, said head being providedl adjacent the axis of rotation of said knuckle with a bollard adapted to engage said pivotally mounted member to limit rotation of the latter.

6. Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler involving a coupler head, a knuckle rotatably mounted on said head, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination with means adapted to connect said coupler to a drawhook, said means including a member piv otally mounted on the guard arm side of the coupler head and extending toward the' knuckle side of said head, and a link vdevice movably connected to said pivotally mounted member, said head being provided adja cent the axis of rotation of said knucklewith a bollard whose rear face is undercut to receive said pivotally mounted member.V Y

7. Car coupling mechanism*comprising a coupler involving a coupler head, a knuckle rotatably mounted on said head, and a lock j for said knuckle, in combination with' means adapted to connect said coupler to al drawhook, said means including "a forwardly curved loopmember having at one end'a downwardly extending pivot post, said coupler head being formed with a recess for receiving said pivot post and havingvin advance of said recess and on the opposite side of said head a'bollard for engaging said loop member to prevent forward rotation ofthe latter when the mechanism is subjected to draft strains. l

8, Car coupling mechanism comprising a coupler involving a coupler head, a knuckle rotatably mounted on said head,'and a lock for said knuckle, in combination with'means Y adapted to connect Ysaid coupler to a drawhook,y said means including a forwardly curved loop member movably mounted v,on the coupler head so as to be capable of sliding vertically and rotatingv horizontally,l

anda link device movably connectedy to said loop member and adapted to cooperate with a drawhook,` said coupler head being provided with a. bollard constituting means for preventing forward rotation of the loo member when theflatter is subjected to dra t strains.'`

9. Car coupling mechanism'comprising a coupler involving a coupler head, a knuckle rotatably mounted on said head, and a lock for said knuckle, in combination with means adapted to connect said coupler to a draw-y hook, said means including a loop member having a downwardly extending pivot post lwhereby it is mountedon said head so as to be also capable of sliding movement with Y j sor for said knuckle, in combinationwith meansV adapted to Vconnect said coupler to a drawhook, said means including a forwardly curved loopk member having a downwardly extending pivot post and a link device movably connected to said loop member and adapted to cooperate with a drawhook, said link device involving a plurality of movably connected members, said coupler head being provided on the guard arm side thereof with a pivot opening for receiving said pivot post and being provided in spaced relation tol said pivot opening with a bollardl 'adapted to engage said loop member to pre- -vent forward rotation of the latter when draft strains are applied thereto, saidV bolvlard being undercut on its rear face so as to permit it to extend over a portion ,of said loop member. Y

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

vWILLIAM KELso.

iioY 

